Kimi ni Todoke

Kimi ni Todoke: From Me To You, is one of the better known shojo mangas in Japan, but not to the extreme fangirl level of something like Fruits Basket.

One of my female friends had been bugging me to start watching this series -- and I'll admit, I actually did watch most of it, and then start to read the manga once the episodes were caught up with. If you're a romantic person, or like the silly girl-meets-boy-girl-falls-in-love-girl-is-happy-forever-after, you'll enjoy Kimi ni Todoke. I personally loved the series.

Story -- 6

The story of Kimi ni Todoke isn't hard to understand. Sadako/Sawako is a shy, antisocial (not by ... choice) girl who is disliked by her classmates due to rumors she has nothing to do with. They immediately set you up to pity her, and want to like her. She's cute, innocent, and very shojo-y. In fact, I bet any person with a soul would liken to Sadako. She then somehow starts to catch the eye of the super-nice, very-popular Kazehaya, which creates drama, since him, being the ever-popular guy, has droves of girls worshiping him. These droves notice he's being nice to the antisocial girl, and start to hate on her. No surprise there.

The story is rudimentary at best, and something you would except out of a crappy author like Stephanie Meyer. It's basic, simplistic, but easy to follow. Sadako, thanks to her savior Kazehaya, suddenly is able to have friends, and lead a somewhat normal life, though her maturity level is stunted due to her years of antisocialism due to the malicious rumors other have about her. Most of the situations the poor girl is put in are incredibly awkward, more awkward than any normal person should be subject to -- and the anime uses this moments to have Sadako learn how to mature quickly. However, such a plot is unrealistic and almost fairy tale ish, having the awkward girl no body likes suddenly be rescued by the prince -- actually, it is fairly similar to the plot of our beloved fairy tales of prince and princesses, but also of over-done stories like Twilight.

The slight saving factor in this is the fact that the story is just so damned cute. It helps obscure the fact it's a Princess Cinderella sort of story, given the sweetness, gooey-ness, and cuteness that is Kimi ni Todoke.

Art -- 7

The art is decent. It has the low quality, silly expression, water-drop-on-back-of-forehead moments quite often, but you can't really blame a show like Kimi ni Todoke for having that. Overall, the art is consistent so far and doesn't seem like it'll be dropping. It's detailed, shiny, and very shojo-y in style (see:Code Geass art). From an anime in 2009/2010, this sort of art is what you should be expecting when you watch an anime.

Sound -- 6

The sound in Kimi ni Todoke isn't memorable so far. It isn't bad -- it has fitting music, the appropriate queues, etc. -- but it isn't exactly stellar, either (see:Lena Park's rendition of "You Raise Me Up" in both English and Japanese, in Romeo X Juliet). For a big budget shojo anime, Kimi ni Todoke's soundtrack is pretty much standard, though a very nice and memorable theme would be appreciated.

Character -- 9

The saving grace of Kimi ni Todoke. The character development. Given that it has such a limited selection of characters -- only a dozen or so, compared to the hundreds found in a show like Naruto -- it is no surprise the characters are very well done. Over the first dozen episodes so far, most of the characters have shown real personality and diversity. Sadako, the main character, has, with babying from her awesome Kazehaya and newfound friends Chizuru and Ayane, she manages to learn the basics of social interaction and how cruel people can be. Likewise, the supporting characters of Chizuru and Ayane show character in being able to accurately show jealousy, rage, loyalty, bravery, courage, and other emotions fairly well and believably. The characters look promising and are probably going to have to be what keeps this anime with a lackluster plot afloat.

Enjoyment - 7

The enjoyment of Kimi ni Todoke is basically completely up to you. If you dislike awkward situations, unrealistic plots, or fairy tale like occurrences, this may not be the best anime for you. But if you really enjoy romance, and sappy love stories, then give Kimi ni Todoke a try -- it may not disappoint you. I find the rewatch-ability not too low or high, given that there are some very sappy and sweet parts in most of the episodes.

Overall -- 7

I'd personally give this an 8 or a 9, but this isn't a personal review. It's one from a normal look on the anime. For most people, this will fall under a 6 or 7. It has lackluster and boring plot, cliched occurrences with fairy tale like situations, but it is an incredibly sweet and romantic anime with a lot going for it in the character development department. In fact, the popular manga streaming site MangaFox even has this manga listed as a "Cinderella Story," which applies to the anime as well. If you enjoy shojo, you probably will like this. If not...don't waste your time.

Do you want to get cancer? Do you like the idea of forced drama every episode? Do you just not care if the characters are enjoyable? Yes, yes yes!

Lets get on the serious sides here. This anime is pure DRAMA. "Oh bob didnt say hi to you? Something must be up and it's my fault~~waa,waa, waa*** lets spend 5 episodes on it!!!" That's basically the jist of the story alright.

About the characters
The main female has a running joke on her. It's that she's super "scary" and a "ghost"
Yikes it was 'funny' at first but my god it will annoy you by the 3rd ... episode.
Then you have the edgy characters and the dense male. By "edgy" I mean the girls who will hang out with her because no one else will. Boy do those two cause problem for the series. If they dont say hi to the main character she'll go crazy and it will take 3 episodes just to make it clear that everything was alright and im not even kidding you this goes on for every episode it seems.

Overall
Attack me if you will for only watching 6 episodes and judging it, but it really is unbearable. With it being 25 episodes I just have to warn my people.
Summary:
- Slow paced ( holy crap it's been 6 episodes? it felt like an eternity)
- Average animation
- Cringe worthy characters
- At least the main character has a quirk
- Drama Drama Drama
- Constant crying
- Average romance ( this doesnt bother me personally)

Everyone who has ever driven a car or was simply a passenger has encountered an infuriating situation; an insanely expensive car driving slowly on the highway. It feels like such a waste of space as you drive by it, looking at the driver and giving them the “What are you even doing?” look, eventually leaving it behind to fade.

Kimi ni Todoke starts off as a heartwarming slice of life that breaks the stereotype of the quiet girl in school, with exceptional pacing and handling of the school setting as well as establishing groundwork for all of the main cast. As we see Sadako slowly accept ... everyone around her and letting herself truly be herself, the story takes the expected direction but it, however, ruins the outcome of that direction with subpar subplots which get 0 development and no conclusion to them, just to fill up the time, leaving the main romance plot of Kazehaya and Sadako lacking in terms of both content and pacing. Even as the episodes go on, after the initial developments within the main couple’s romance, they stay mainly the same. The only changing thing in the whole show is the challenging of Kazehaya’s positive mentality. Kimi ni Todoke throws major obstacles at Kazehaya, making him question himself and his ideology, yet his static personality helps him overcome these challenges and stay the same. This constant battle within himself is what keeps the show slightly interesting and was sometimes the only pull this anime had to offer.

Now, the main problem of Kimi ni Todoke. It is painfully slow. While pacing is one of the most subjective parts of an anime, seeing how some people appreciate a slower and a more methodical approach to handling of its characters and some just want to lay back and turn off their brains to enjoy a fast-paced action packed show, Kimi ni Todoke takes the slower approach but doesn’t manage to benefit from it. In cases of shows like Hunter x Hunter with its Chimera Ant arc, which is on the slower side of the spectrum when it comes to pacing, the slow approach is used as a catalyst to show how the characters are behaving in each moment and their constant change when faced with an enigma, something they had never seen before. Kimi ni Todoke doesn’t do that but instead just repeats the same things numerous times, leading to nothing new really happening and instead just repeating the same process, somehow expecting different results. Sadako and Kazehaya are shy around each other and just do activities together. This sums up their entire romance, which would not be an entirely bad thing if the ending provided a change of pace within their relationship, instead, we get Sadako saying how much she loves him for 20 episodes with no real movement in her view of Kazehaya or any real attempts at increasing their connection. This depiction of a growing relationship is not necessarily bad and is fairly realistic, yet it is far too slow to be considered organic or real for that matter.

Kazehaya and Sadako are highschoolers, and as such are surrounded by others with similar actions and feelings as them, this leads to many romance subplots being showcased through the show, the core ideas of which were often more interesting to follow than the main couple’s. Giving light to themes such as violence, unrequited love, cowardice and many more, the showcasing of those themes was done incredibly and is one of the highlights of the show. However, while the introduction to the themes and their core ideas were amazing, they were, for the most part, forgotten within a few episodes and were never truly fleshed out. With as much amazing potential as they had, the show just forgetting about them was both sad and infuriating to look at.

Ryu and Chizuru. Besides the main couple, the only 2 really fleshed out characters with an interesting romantic dynamic arousing after Ryu’s character had gotten a bit of light through his interactions with all of the main cast. Ryu is the realest character in Kimi ni Todoke. Putting up a laid back and cold front on the outside, he is the most emotional character in the show. As often happens in the real world, it is incredibly difficult to want to be only friends with someone you have known for a long amount of time. Not to say it’s impossible, just that spending time with someone for a long time will, in most cases, result in one person being attracted to the other, having been with them through their good and bad moments and getting a depiction of them as a person, completely. Ryu’s internal struggle between keeping an amazing friendship and confessing his feelings bother him through the later half of the show and he suffers, similarly to Kazehaya, however, in an entirely different manner. Seeing Chizuru talk about a different love interesting, that being his brother, hurt Ryu to the point where he knew about his brother being engaged but kept it a secret, as Chizuru seeing it in person was more likely to cause her to seek emotional support from him, giving him a chance to confess. With their relationship still not fully resolved by the end of the show, the dynamic leaves open an interesting path for the Second season to tackle and focus on.

Sadako was an interesting concept for a character. Having an outcast adjust to a “normal” way of living after being bullied her entire life could have made for an intriguing way to develop a character. None of that happens though. Sadako is not changed from the person she was in episode 1. The plot is structured in a way that makes Sadako simply interact with the things happening around her in a way that she would, regardless of her being an outcast or not. Sadako has no development, it is simply a cover that, once opened, reveals a static character that has the plot and the world change around them, not them change around the world. She is like the sun in the solar system. The sun constantly shines the same way, the planets revolve around the sun, all of the planets have their mistakes or deformations, but the sun is just a bright glowing sphere, with no real mistakes. Sadako is crafted as a perfect character, meaning that she has no real character flaws which could spark development. She is the same girl, however, with a surrounding that acknowledges her existence and actively pushes her to the main character role.

The dynamic between Kurumi and Sadako was once again, wasted potential, which seems to be something Kimi ni Todoke enjoys doing, Kurumi and Sadako acknowledge each other as rivals and it ends there. Their rivalry never gets more exposition or gets fully fleshed out, it simply ends with Sadako crying, as she likes to do, seeing as more than 50% of her screen time is crying.

Taking into account the time frame in which the show was created, the visuals Kimi ni Todoke presents are amazing. Production wise they are nothing special, but they work exceptionally well in the context of the show. It feels as if they bring a feeling of coziness and warmth within them. It feels as if a gentle fire is burning within each frame and it never fizzles out. The warmth is constantly there, it just wavers at times, similar to Kazehaya and his struggles, the tone can get darker, the art can get sharper and more crude, yet the aspect of warmth is always there, even in slight amounts.

Seeing an expensive car driving slowly can be infuriating and may make you ask yourself what the driver is doing, yet you can still appreciate the car for what it is. The car is amazing, even though its full potential is not realized.

Whatever you do, don't be put off by Kimi ni Todoke's unassuming summary. The premise of this wonderful anime starts off very simply and it starts off that way too. However, this anime is so unbelievably authentic and distinct in how it portrays the feelings and personalities of the main characters.

I found myself liking and relating to each and every character in this series, Sawako and Kazehaya especially. In a romance series like this one, the story is 100% reliant upon the characterization. It works because each character's personality comes out so earnestly throughout the series. We get to watch their interactions with each other ... and the emotions and actions that arise as a result.

The character of Sawako (the titular Sadako) really is a diamond in the rough. At the beginning there is not a single person who understands and sympathizes with her internal struggles. She is alone and devoid of friends thanks in part to her creepy facade. It is Kazehaya and his non-judgmental character who initiates the first tidbits of change into Sawako's life, and he does this with nothing more than his trademark sparkling smile. From that point on, Sawako makes her first (and best) friends in Chizuru and Ayane, finds a love rival in Kurumi, and witnesses many of Kazahaya's 'firsts'.

With the progression of the series, Sawako comes to realize that life's struggles should never be confronted alone and that with just a few good friends by your side, the world becomes a much brighter and happier place. This realization obliterates the mystique and obscurity surrounding her and she emerges as the beautiful gem that she is, much to Kazehaya's chagrin.

I never once got bored with Kimi ni Todoke's relatively slow pacing and overall lack of angst and drama. Many romance series are similarly paced after all, so for those who are romance veterans, boredom should not be an issue in the least. Sawako's meek nature and nervousness in most situations culminates in quite a few comedic moments. Chizuru too, with her tomboy antics, is another source or laughter. Though the supporting cast fall into generic archetypes, it is their interactions with Sawako, who does not fall into any known archetypes, that make this series so enjoyable.

The art of Kimi ni Todoke suits the show perfectly. Its sparse style and colors lend beauty to the scenery and characters during those moments when it reaches an emotional climax, such as when Kazehaya smiles. The background music serves the same purpose and serves it well, though the aren't exactly memorable. The OP and ED themes are, however. Personally, OP and ED themes take a bit of acclimation on my part for them to grow on me (I don't skip OPs and EDs EVAR). Kimi ni Todoke's OP hooked me almost instantly, a feat that is not achieved often. Once I adjusted to the vocals of the ED's performer, it also became a well-loved contribution to the series.

The only thing I can really find fault with Kimi ni Todoke is its ending. If the second season wasn't in the works, it would be totally inexcusable, but since the first episode is airing TOMORROW (so stoked), I was able to overlook it.

On to the second season!

What was your first impression of Kimi ni Todoke? It is a shoujo anime about a girl, shy and timid, who gets into a relationship with some guy.
Well, it is that in all its essence.
The thing is that this show presents itself in a very unique perspective, one which amplifies and embellishes little elements that are usually overlooked in a typical anime of its genre. What's special about this show is the experience one gets from watching it.


The story is told mainly through the eyes of Kuronuma Sawako, the main character. She's a shy little girl having a ghostly guise, constantly feared or misunderstood ... by many people because she resembles Sadako (her nickname) from a movie called The Ring. Being told in her perspective, we get to see first-hand of all the happenings in her life in perfect detail, her social transformation as she opens herself out to the world.

The thing I found interesting about the story is that how the season changes correspondingly with its progress. Everything starts off in spring where Sawako first met Kazehaya, the male lead. As spring is the season for new things to happen, this fateful event marks the starting point where wonderful things such as friendship, start revealing themselves to Sawako one by one. It's rather like planting a seed in the lushness of spring. Then things begin to peak in summer. Autumn doesn't seem to last long here. The last season, winter, is where all things are brought to an end at the start of a new year. In my opinion, I think this is an orderly display of plot and we can sense that time goes on with a change in season.

The pacing is set at a slow speed. No, it doesn't mean you will find fillers and the likes, this is because the show really needs that much time for it to deliver this natural feeling. All episodes link to one another smoothly except for one recap episode where I find it highly unnecessary for it to be included.

The show also includes a short arc with Sawako's friend, Chizuru getting the limelight. And it packs quite the punch for its size.

It's sad to see the end of the series, what with the sudden bringing down to a close type of ending. Though it would be satisfying hear a second season coming along.


This simple storyline is complemented with crisp, clear and vivid art which go extremely well together. Starting from the background, done with bright and lively hues of watercolor, the skies in day or night, rain or shine, blending in so well with the scene and season. The lighting is also a job well done especially on the characters and for once you don't see them pasted with the background.
And I must comment on how they pay attention to the little details. Flowers aside, they animated ladybugs and birds in the backyard, something that we rarely see in shows these days.

The character drawing is not much to brag about, it is consistent, they are drawn in such a simple manner that it is pleasing to the eyes, with modest blushes, and their eyes and facial expressions portrayed accurately as well. The chibi forms of the characters are what that made my day, literally. They are an excellent source for making a few laughs and make things look plain cute, I'm talking about Sawako with a twinkling star beside her face, and Ayane with flabby lips. Sometimes, the characters tend to swap from normal to chibi mode too much, but for me it's all right, they still maintain a fair balance of the two.

As for the environment, this is, I believe, what made the art attractive. Throughout the spring and summer seasons, you can regularly see bubbles and pentagons appearing in emotional scenes dancing about that really adds humidity and that almost visible sense of freshness you find in morning gardens with glistening dewdrops. It really amplifies the overall feel of the picture.


Sound is yet another treat in Kimi ni Todoke. The seiyuus all did a very good job to bring out the characters, all befit their roles superbly, Sawako sounds kinda eerie at the beginning, but her normal soft and shy voice can at times make your ears melt out of sheer pleasure. Her short little gasps can very well put her in the moe category. Even Pin's annoying laughing and jeering is pleasing to hear sometimes too.
The soundtrack came out to be fine, and it really enhances the mood of the environment. These quiet tones bring out the sentiments of the characters, some support a romantic or sad scene, and there are one or two that fit in just fine with the comedy. Oh and there was this particular track that made me feel like a was watching while floating in midair.

The opening sequence, Kimi ni Todoke is the best. It's like a blast of emotion that made my feelings erupt the first time I saw it. This piece has a guitar and piano version which can be heard in the anime, and believe me, the piano solo is no less than perfect in my view. The ending theme, Kataomoi is fine to the extent of ending the episode. It slowly brings you to a smooth landing after being up in the air watching for so long.


Here is the part that shines in this show, the characters. Is is also the most important aspect of the show. In Kimi ni Todoke, we have Sawako who has all the qualities of a quiet and reserved individual who, through meeting Kazehaya, gains two close friends, a rival, a lover, and her Zashiki Warashi (a spirit which brings luck) status among her classmates.
This show focuses on the various interactions between the characters and the outcome and does it masterfully. As aforementioned, they wanted to show what other shows normally avoid, which is the feelings we all have deep down inside.
The show speaks of inner sincerity, not the hard outer shells one has, and Sawako, with little experience of socializing, is a prime example of someone who exhibits pure innocence and sincerity.
Just look at her speech, albeit a little over the top and effusively grateful, she has in herself courage to stand up and speak for herself, and for others. And she really tries to do her best at that, as she kept struggling all the time to keep up with the norms of her peers.
This sense of trust and mutual affection can even stretch to the supporting cast, and this goes to show that no matter what kind of person you are, down at the core we pretty much are the same.

Another thing is, we see ourselves in Sawako that's a fact. No matter who you are and how you came to know what life is, you can always relate and see Sawako living through a similar situation as you did, because what they focus here is a general field of life's good and bad stuffs.
But as we watch this show, we can't help but feel that familiar warmth we know or used to know so well before. It's like, hey, I remember doing that or having that experience. And some of you will get a sense of relief or assurance that you are not so alone in this world, and what happened to you happens to others. For one thing Sawako here has been through the trials, got her first times, her first crush, her first real friends, her first sleepover and late night parties.

If you give your compassion knowing Sawako's tears, if you share your delight with her cheers, if you are envious for all those treasures being heaped upon her, or just shed tears with no particular reason, by all means continue to do so and let your emotions to be in sync with her. I'll be frank, I did cry while watching the show.


This is a show that requires patience, you need to entrust your time into its care, and what you receive in return is a wonderful experience you will remember for some time to come. You will be transported to another world, as simple and little as it is, and there you can feel at ease, and forget your worries, soaking in the subtle bits of details the show has to offer. Well maybe that's a bit exaggerated, but it's what I feel at least.


Overall, this is a show that is not quite the ordinary shoujo romance anime as some might expect. I think it's safe to say that the enjoyability of this anime varies according to each person. It has none of the mushy romance stuff, so no lip contact. You can even learn something from this show and recall some sweet memories from before. To put it simply, Kimi ni Todoke is an animated storybook narrated by Kuronuma Sawako, where we see and hear the story of her social transformation, a little girl stepping into society with a will to change for the better, and that has made all the difference.

It really is a special show, a show that reaches out to you.

Ok, I might have no right to be writing a disparaging review on a series I've watched a quarter of, but this is less of a review and more of a warning: THIS ANIME IS FOR SHOUJO FANS/EXPERIENCED SHOUJO WATCHERS. Don't let the top reviews fool you. The only way in which this series differs from the typical romance formula is the premise. Otherwise, the way events develop all scream textbook shoujo.

I would have tried to finish this anime, but after reading a few other comments about how the second half is even worse, I decidedly gave up after only having watched the first major ... arc: the "rumours" arc, which, basically, is a story only made possible because stupid people do stupid things. Or rather, they don't do the things which normal, rationally functioning human beings would (i.e. communicate). As a result, events move at an excruciatingly slow pace, wherein the long drag could have been resolved within 24 minutes. Since any high school romance anime's core is its characters, you can already see my main beef with this show.

First, we have Sawako, a girl who is introduced as a ghostly figure that scares people away, but then we have to quickly believe is also simultaneously pretty. Did you catch from the synopsis that despite her appearance, she is actually a mild-mannered and well-meaning girl? No? Well don't worry, because all the anime does is remind you how mild-mannered and well-meaning she is. It wouldn't be as frustrating if she just did nice things – that would be endearing. Instead Kimi has to hold your head, direct your eyes toward the nice things that she does and scream in your ear, "DO YOU SEE SAWAKO DOING THE THING? IT IS NICE THING! SAWAKO IS NICE GIRL!" And all while the series is busy fellating Sawako, her only job is to fellate Kazehaya, the cheerful, magnetic God among men. Only this time it is even more obvious, because instead of visual cues metaphorically pointing it out and screaming in your ear, you have a character actually, literally pointing it out and screaming in your ear. Neither of these protagonists are even that bad, character-wise, but the show is so insistent on shoving their qualities in your face, that it becomes suffocatingly irritating, and any chance of depth or development is gone.

Next, let's focus on the infinitely more interesting side characters: a sentence that has probably never come up when discussing ideas for the storywriting process of this series. Because their only job is to, you guessed it, fellate the two main characters. Apparently they get their own little romances, but I'd have to imagine it's a ridiculously minor bump amidst the chaotic gravel pit of "look-at-Sawako-and-Kazehaya-do-absolutely-nothing-for-much-longer-than-you-need-to" that is Kimi Ni Todoke.

If you can endure the line-a-minute pace of the show, and you love being continually reminded about why you have to like characters, then this is the show for you. Otherwise, don't bother. That refers to the entire genre, by the way.

I'm new on this whole writing reviews stuff, but I find most adequate starting them with a sentence that summarizes what to be expected from the anime.
On Kimi ni Todoke's case the general idea is: a romance in which the characters have near to zero attitude.

The story in Kimi ni Todoke is really lame. The mix of romance, comedy and drama, very common in shoujos is poorly done here. The characters have unbelievable reactions in the situations they are exposed, a single smile is enough to be head over heels with someone and the whole series drags on how none of them will do absolutely ... nothing to try getting some development on the romance component of this show.
The comedy is often out of place, just as a relief more than anything else. The comic expressions are amusing in the beginning of the show, but later on they feel totally unnecessary.
The drama... what drama? Some silly conflicts due to the lack of attitude or unbelievable reactions is what they call drama in this series.

The only thing I liked in this series is the art. The sceneries are beautifully portrayed, the characters design is also really nice and the whole shoujo atmosphere is satisfactorily enhanced.

It's been a week or two since I watched Kimi ni Todoke and I can't remember anything about the soundtrack. In my case, this means the soundtrack had absolutely nothing special.

Overall, if you're a fan of romances with no development and want to waste precious time of your life, go for it!=D Go watch Nana or Honey & Clover instead...XP

Well, here we are... just before the last episode releases. Now, I can pretty much guess what's going to happen from this point on, but I could still be surprised. I still felt inclined to tell all of you what I thought about this show and why I'm still watching it and (somewhat) eagerly awaiting the final episode.

There are times where you begin to watch an anime and you know deep down in your gut that you could never finish consuming such crap. Other times, you can't wait to see the next episode, wondering what's going to happen next. ... For me, Kimi ni Todoke falls somewhere between those two extremes, only closer to the latter. There are quite a few things that make this anime really shine above all the other slice-of-life school romance animes out there... that mainly being the characters.

From the get-go, you immediately fall in love with Sawako, not Sadako, and Kazehaya. These two characters are the main focus of the story and are detailed enough that you feel like you know them personally. Each character (including the sides, Ayane, Chizuru, Ryuu, heck, even Pin, are all given enough screen time to really feel like they belong in the story. Names aside, what I am trying to say is that the character development is done extremely well and gives you just enough detail but doesn't bore you to death with each character's complete background and past.

One other thing that stood out to me was the story itself. Imagine an extremely shy girl (Sawako) whose name is extremely close to the girl from The Ring (Sadako), also looks somewhat like the girl from The Ring, and whose personality isn't exactly saving her from the Sadako label. Now, set into motion the events that could possibly change this girls life as all her good qualities are brought to light by meeting a male character who can see past all the rumors and falsities of that Sadako label. (C'mon, it's obvious from day 1 that Kazehaya has fallen for Sawako, and shortly after, vice versa) Ok, so the story sounds cheesy as hell and lame too. And, for the most part, it is. But, it's told in such a manner that you feel sucked into the events and a part of everything. As each character is developed more, relationships and interrelations fleshed out, you find yourself wanting more... addicted to the charming qualities of this anime.

Now, there are a few minor weak points I noticed, those of which I can't really describe in detail without spoiling the story. What I can say, is that there are times I felt as if this anime dragged on relentlessly, beating the same hum-drum monotony into my brain. "Oh come on! Just say it already!" were words often heard out of my mouth in several of the middle episodes. It's obvious to you as the viewer, but of course, the characters are oblivious and clueless. Which, I suppose adds to the charm and humor of the story, but for 25 episodes? Really? I think this story could have been told successfully in 12. Maybe a little rushed, not giving you that in-depth connection with a character...

Still, would I recommend this anime to a friend? Absolutely. Would that friend slap me across the face? ...depends upon which friend I recommend this to.
Be prepared for a story that is light-hearted, feel-good, and overall, fun to watch.

Do you recall the time where you did not fit in at a new school and had no friends at all? Did you recall the time where you made your true and real friend? Did you remember the time you fell in love or like someone?

Well, Kimi Ni Todoke is all of the above. It doesn't really have a storyline but it is still a very, very good romance anime. I loved it very much. If you experienced all of the above + watched Kimi Ni Todoke and not like it - you must be insane.

Okay, that's quite rude, isn't it? But then - ... Kimi Ni Todoke is more of a "slice of life" movie + "girl" yes, definitely a girl romance anime but this doesn't mean it can't be enjoyed by males!

It shows the life of Kuronuma Sawako who is trying her best to make friends but finds it hard because of a rumor started in the school about her having the same resemblance to Sadako's "The Ring" + her being a witch and all...

Plus, it doesn't help that she's shy and acts weirdly each time someone tries to talk to her. But thanks to a boy...a very friendly and popular boy who is well liked by everyone - Kazehaya, who said "Hi" to her...and maybe, just maybe, her life would be different - for once.

Well, that's just my "lame" plot but yeah...I tried my best. hehe.

Story: 10/10

I loved the story a lot. I'm not sure if it's original or not since I'm kinda sick of all those "Lots of guys fall in love with this girl" thing or "Dumb girl falls in love with ridiculously handsome boy and tries her best" plot so to me, this plot was refreshingly new and different.

Many people may dislike it because of the slow-pacing of the romance but for someone like me - I really really dislike slow paced movies - especially fillers episodes, they get on my nerves - really, but this series - wow oh wow...each episode makes me CRAVE FOR MORE!!

It's slow but it shows us how the romance between Kazehaya and Kuronuma slowly bloomed...it's so sweet it makes me squeal with glee just to see them acting awkwardly in front of each other. Because, like I said, it's more of a "slice of life" romance anime and tells us how a girl falls in love and make friends for the first time. It's definitely a refreshing concept.

Kuronuma making friends for the first time and making a new rival - it is so interesting to watch because it's not new to us but it's new - to her. To watch it from her view is superb interesting cause we all know how it feels to make a new rival or a new true friend.

Whilst I watch this, I thought of the first time I liked someone and the first time, I found my true friends...it was so memorable and being able to "be in" Kuronuma's point of view made it even cooler.

Art: 9/10

At first, I didn't like the characters design which is why I never thought of watching it till I heard about all the good reviews about it so I decided to give it a try - and heck, I'm glad I did! Because sometimes, I hear good reviews about a particular movie and they end up disappointing me so I'm really glad Kimi Ni Todoke didn't!

How wrong I am. The characters looked more like "real" people and they aren't TOO hot to begin with. I'm so scared of hot bishies because seriously, people have a knack for drawing beautiful male characters and that would make me lose control. Ha ha. ha. Just kidding but yeah. They look real and it's neat. :)

The background was oh-so-pretty and detailed. Yes. Detailed. It isn't some scribble form of buildings/doodles but instead, I get to see detailed background. The bubbles add a nice and soft romantic touch to it as well.

Animation was um...alright. It wasn't that great because sometimes, it looks a little fake but oh well, with such a great story to boot, who cares about the little animation fault? :D

Sound: 10/10

I love love love love love the sound that I downloaded both the OP and the ED song. Very, very nice :) Plus, the songs have nice meanings - go google them and you will see what I mean! Of course I didn't forget about the background music! That's what made the music more "enjoyable"! I could say that...the background music was appropriate - when it's sad - sad music comes up and so on...

The OP and ED song was the one that gave me a huge impact - background music was ok although I didn't take notice of it much. When I don't take notice of a background music, it's either

1) It' fits the mood perfectly so I have no questions about it

2) Not much of a huge impact for me to remember it

Moving on to character :)

10/10

Sawako's demure personality is so lovable. She's so pure and so...innocent and is friendly with almost everyone. It's so sad that she appears so scary outside when she's trying to interact with someone just because she doesn't know how to. But inside, she's just a normal girl like everyone else. It's cute how she experiences new things and you know - her chibi "OMG" self appears each time she experiences something new. Very cute.

Kazehaya is really oh wow different from male leads. He's not incredibly smart but he's very popular. To me, he looks quite average and is different from all those male leads - hot, handsome, smart, the Mr "I'm perfect and you know it - be jealous, bitches" HAHAHAHA. Ok, I'm exaggerating but yeah, you got my point. He's pretty much shy and has some flaws as well.

It's interesting to see how shy he gets + blushes whenever Kuronuma stares at him for too long.

The supporting characters definitely gets a THUMB UP as well! I loved Ayane and Chizu - could you believe they actually became Sawako's close friends? Best friends maybe? :) I never expected them to be Sawako's best friends at first because of their personalities but they did :") And they were so nice as well.

Chizuru - very cute and boyish! She's the highlight of the supporting characters - to me. She cries at the littlest things and is so tomboy-ish that it's cute. But inside, she's girly.

The supporting cast are not just "stand-by" or "fillers" if you get what I mean. They are here for a purpose and they are here to make a difference in Kuronuma's life and they DID.

Watch it and you will know why. Supporting characters = the BOMB.

Oh. And as much as I hate Arai sensei, I must admit, he makes the series more interesting *evil laughter* watch it and you will know what I mean >:)

Enjoyment: 9/10

It was very very enjoyable from the first episode up till the very end. But towards the end, I must admit - it does get a little boring. Character developments were there - Kuronuma changes to a more friendly behaviour and she's more open to new things and experiences so many new things in life but the romance between her and Kazehaya was disappointing.

The pace remained the same and there weren't any development in their romance. It was the same from the middle....which is why I rated it a 9 out of 10.

And to be honest, I think the Chizuru arc was just a filler story...but it is indeed an interesting filler story :) I laughed + cried a little when I watched it. It's sweet but what does it do for the couple? Nothing, right? So that's why I find it the filler a little useless but oh well..

I did love the series a lot and constantly smile till my cheeks hurts + "AWWWWWWWWWWWWWW" like crazy and blush as well because let's face it girls, we've all been there - done it.

Overall: I rate it a 10/10.

It doesn't mean that just cause I rate it a 10/10 - it has to be perfect.

It's just thoroughly enjoyable to me and it's one of the best romance anime I have ever watched. Very sweet and slow but still very enjoyable.

If you want a series that reminds you of your old high-school days (I just graduated T_T i miss high school now) + makes you go "awwwwwwwwwww" + blush + feel your "firsts" experiences, then this series is definitely for you.

Likewise, I'd encourage everyone to watch it. It was a pleasant experience for me. I'm now on Season 2. Cheers :)

Thanks for reading ^_^

Kimi Ni Todoke is by far one of the most original and purest forms of a romance and high school anime. I instantly fell in love with the two main characters, both as a couple and as individuals.

Sawako is the ideal pure girl, whose story of overcoming social barriers is truly uplifting and relatable. Kazehaya is an admirable, outgoing yet has an inner shell of insecurity like most teenagers. Seeing them freak out, laugh, smile, and cry gives the viewer an emotional connection with the characters.

The art diverges between comical and "normal", which I enjoyed though others may want more of the normal art style. ... However, they choose the right moments for each. The soundtrack for the show was very well done in the sense that it gave me goosebumps for each emotional scene. The plot develops phenomenally as far as romance animes are concern.

Personally: I could relate to Sawako's social development and I love how pure she is. I could also relate to being outgoing like Kazehaya, yet being nervous around the one you like. The only thing that could make it better is including more seasons. I prefer it over toradora and lovely complex because it is more believable and they develop the characters better in my opinion. It is the best romance anime I have ever seen.

I'm not a big Shoujo girl, and that became increasingly obvious the longer I watched this series.

I will say, several of the first episodes brought me to sappy weepy tears. The main character, Sawako, is a lonely girl whose attempts to make friends routinely fail due to her outwardly intimidating appearance. The tried and true "don't judge a book by its cover" will be shoved in your face for multiple episodes as you learn Sawako is actually very sweet, and she usually interprets the horrible treatment she receives from her peers as other people being cooler than her.

Those were the moments that really ... got to me in the beginning - I haven't seen a whole lot of slice of life anime that's dealt with bullying, and I felt like it was done very well here.

I will be honest, past that, this show became more of a guilty pleasure for me (as it is with most Shoujo. Why can't I just embrace my femininity??) and I felt embarrassed to be watching it the more I saw. Kimi ni Todoke suffers from the run-of-the-mill Shoujo traits that can be extremely jarring for someone who may have difficulty getting into it.

For example, people will have VERY bland conversations, but the characters involved will feel the need to gasp with widened eyes after every line the other speaks.
A: Hi B-chan
*animators zoom in dramatically on B-chan's mouth/eyes*
B: A-kun, I-I-I like your pickles. *blush*
A: *small gasp, animators draw hair-shadow in replacement of eyes*
Etc.

In all seriousness, this show is good fun: it doesn't take itself too seriously, there's plenty of humour, and it's quite cute. I'll be following up with the manga to see where it goes after the second season, but I didn't feel like this one left a huge impact on my soul that will influence my cognitive functioning for the next 12 years.

If you like most of the Shoujos you've seen, I'd say check it out. If you don't, don't.

So,
this is how I rated it overall. You might not agree with me since this show has an 8.30 rating on MAL but this is my review so un-helpful away.
Includes, both season one and two review.
Story-6/10 (Cliche story)
Art-6/10 (tooo much chibi)
Sound-8/10 (pretty catchy, different, good)
Characterization-6/10 (started out as good and unique but ended up as irritating and un-relatable)
Enjoyment-6/10 (some moments were so retarded that they were funny )
Overall-5/10
If this world was a cotton candied, sugar coated fluff ball then this anime being categorized as *slice of life* would have been justified.
To be honest, the only reason I started watching this was because I am ... a sucker for anti-social characters.
When I read the plot base for this anime, I thought it was quite unique.
An anime tackling issues about the superficial, an anime in which there is a not so pretty girl, ostracized because she looks like the character from the ring. Oh, how original!
However
Unrealistic and unrelatable: Kimi ni Todoke hardly handled this unique topic in a unique way, instead it gave the clichéd shoujo spin to it and ended the series in the most basic *girl gets guy* manner.
The plot is that Sawako is a teenager suffering from being labelled unapproachable. With long dark hair and pale skin, she is compared to the evil girl from the ring, due to the almost always, gloomy look in her eyes. Thus, everyone calls her Sadako.
The present author himself was very unpopular in High School and tries to speak for all cast outs through this series. Except that Sawako is a very exaggerated version of your average *nice person* she gushes with gratitude for anyone who is nice or civil to her, buys them presents and bakes them cookies making her more of a Disney character who is naive, innocent and desperate to make friends than actual person.
Sawako is prevented from being a pathetic, pitiable character by her endless optimism and willingness to help others. She doesn't spend time feeling sorry for herself, nor have her isolation and the often cruel treatment of her classmates made her bitter. She is unfailingly generous with her time and her understanding of their school work.
This little note is the thing that makes Sawako so frustrating. Here, is a person who has always been labelled and misunderstood, who’s always been a castaway just because of her appearance. A person who has always been a loner and has never gotten a chance to make any friends, when things like this happen it’s natural to feel resentment, jealousy and anger.
However, Sawako lacks all of these natural emotions and this is what makes her a flat, one dimensional character. Not once does she break down, not once does she feel frustrated about her situation. We don’t see that side of her, nor are we aware of its existence. This marks this series as unsatisfying and incomplete as well as lacking in depth.
[Btw she's voiced by Mamiko Noto, big surprise! since she has made a career of doing these sweet-but-wimpy kinds of characters (Shimako in Maria Watches Over Us, Rimone in Simoun)]
While, Kazehaya is consistently a nice guy, aiming at Sawako only, even though the whole school is heads over heels in love with him. He chooses Sawako because she looks depressed and stands out. Since, he's the kind of guy who likes to see everyone happy and help them if they aren't.
Sawako thinks the same, and takes all his advances to be *just kindness*
At this point we see how because of this, a huge communication gap between Sawako and Kazehaya is shaped, which in the end consumes unnecessary episodes and the storyline lags continuously until the point that confessions are shouted out and wounds are healed. Except, the wounds that were inflicted on me, while I was watching this terrible series.
Kazehaya’s character is just as flawed as Sawako’s. For a series that’s about the high school years of a bunch of people, Sawako and Kazehaya don’t really feel like interesting characters at all. Sawako is way too pure: whenever someone tries to take advantage of her feelings (by making her jealous for example), her incredible naivety just feels incredibly unnatural and it quickly turns into a bit of a lame gimmick. Kazehaya on the other hand is just as bland as a male romantic interest. He’s just… there, with hardly any personality about him other than some guy who just keeps smiling. I mean we all want to be believe that there’s a fictional guy out there who doesn’t care about your looks and your inborn awkwardness, and loves you for who you are. Who will obviously knock off the prettiest girl and choose you, instead. Who’s not superficial; and doesn’t care about what other people think. Even though he’s the most popular boy in school, cool story bro but no. Not to mention that Kazehaya has liked Sawako for some time now, ever since school started to be precise. However, he does not communicate with her until he hears her compliment him. (Narcissistic much eh, Heaney?)
Meanwhile, any scene that focused on Sawako’s growth as a character was overshadowed by its romantic drivel that refused to go anywhere.
Another set of characters worth mentioning are Sawako’s two friends who become her best girl-pals (and her protectors), Chizuru Yoshida and Ayane Yano. Chizuru is your standard-issue aggressive female. Ayane, on the other hand, I found much more intriguing; in this first half of the season there's just one hint- in a phone call she answers- that her personal life might be rather complex. She's also pretty perceptive, and catches on to something about a character that no one else has realized just yet. Another character I really did like is Ryu, Kazehaya's buddy, a taciturn fellow who's terrible at remembering names. He and Chizuru have something going on, but she, at least, is not ready to admit they have any kind of relationship (though she apparently feels comfortable enough with him to casually invite herself and her friends up to his room, which is above the restaurant he works in.)
Apart from Sawako, who as I’ve said feels heavily exaggerated, the others feel real. Not terribly over the top and I think reactions and actions were all pretty ‘normal’, normal enough that it’s believable. And I think because of that sometimes you become more attached to them more than Sawako. Even when rumors about them start flying around, they are in conflict whether it’s Sawako who’s spreading them or not. Though in the real world girls tend to get revenge straight out instead of sticking around long enough to hear the other side of the story, which by the way Sawako doesn’t provide until the very end.
As for the bad characters, there's a coach who's the requisite Annoying Male, and then there's the chief villainess, the two-faced Ume Kurumizawa, who pretends to be friendly and cheerful while quietly manipulating things behind the scenes to suit her own purposes.
Kurumi, for me was one of the more realistic characters, however she too is overshadowed by Sawako’s fluff and whimsically placed aside. Kurumi is one of the prettiest girls in the school, who is also in love with Kazehaya. She sees Sawako as a rival and tries to break them apart, as forcefully as she can.
Sawako’s reaction to this news is so undeniably idealistic that it almost made me laugh. Sawako thinks that because Kurumi shares the same feelings for Kazehaya as she, it will enable them to become better friends and bond over it. Showing us, yet again that Sawako contains absolutely no X chromosomes.
Besides Sawako's personality, the art is the other major problem the series has. The backgrounds are gorgeous, but the characters often aren't. Sawako herself seems to be rendered in simplified SD form over half the time. Chizuru and Ayane are realistically done a very few times in the show, but are mostly rendered much closer to SD as well, when they aren't actually SD. But Kazehaya, Ryu, and Kurumizawa receive much more consistently realistic renderings, for some reason.
Also, the random light flares and bubbles appearing suddenly almost turned me into a diabetic. Not only does it give it a very kiddy feel to the show, but it also makes it very hard to read the expressions of the characters. Usually they’re used with stylistic purposes; you know, color each character with these seemingly over the top reactions. Here however, they felt more like “Okay, you can laugh now”-signs, this show just continuously tried to be subtle, while it ultimately just wasn’t.
Kimi ni Todeke ultimately is an anime, that is meant to make you feel good, warm and fuzzy on the inside. It’s supposed to make you feel happy and motivate you to become a better person. It revolves around the idea that no matter what, there’s always some good in everyone.
Except, holy fuck it isn’t. Wake up, you little shit.

(This has been adapted from my reddit thread)

When it comes to relationships, we normally take what we have for granted. Friends, family, lovers; there are many types, but each is a precious thing. I certainly don't think about the many different relationships I have because to me they have come quite naturally and easily. However, for Sawako in Kimi ni Todoke, it is the nurturing and development of these relationships that define the show and what make it so good to watch.

STORY

To give a basic rundown, Kimi ni Todoke stars Kuronuma Sawako, a high school girl who, due to her appearance, has a slightly difficult ... time making friends. As such, she is usually alone. However, when she meets the boy Kazehaya Shouta, she finds that her life is given a breath of fresh air.
Something that the show does incredibly well, and that I allude to in my preview, is the development of relationships. It focuses heavily on what it means to be a friend, rival, or loved one. In order to do this properly, the show presents many scenarios in which the characters get to experience the many sides to these relationships. Sadness, happiness, frustration, jealousy, anger; they are all present and treated equally.

In fact, while the show is technically a romance show, the romance portion doesn't truly kick in until the second half. The first half deals mostly with friends and friendship. Sawako learns what it means to have friends (and to not have them, too) and how to interact with them on a daily basis. Kimi ni Todoke does a wonderful job in building up Sawako's confidence and demeanor towards those around her. She starts off being rather shy and submissive. But as the show progresses, the relationships she shares with her friends and Kazehaya allows her to mature and grow.

Friendship gives way to romance during the second half. It's at this point, however, that the show switches the point of view for a bit towards one of the other characters, Chizu. While I still enjoyed the arc in which her type of relationship was explored, I would have preferred the show to have stuck with Sawako. However, even then, the show uses this opportunity to demonstrate again how relationships are handled, both by the main party and by those outside of it.

Narratively speaking, the ending is not that good. It leaves you with a lot to be desired, and as such, the second season was almost mandatory.

ANIMATION

Kimi ni Todoke is hard to describe artistically. On the one hand, it utilizes what Nisikoi loved to do, and that is bringing in the "sparkle" effects every chance they could get. On top of that, the show looks rather soft in appearance; the colors are vibrant yet not loud. The softness of the show reminded me of those from the 90s or early 2000s even though it was made in 2010/2011. This isn't a bad thing per se, but if you are looking for art styles that are more "modern" (Aldnoah.Zero, Chuunibyou, etc.) then it may turn you off.

The show follows Nisekoi once again in the way it exaggerates the characters faces and animations. Constantly (and almost always for comedic effect), Sawako is depicted more "roundly" than usual. As an example, here she is normally and here she is when she is reacting to a situation. For me, I really enjoy "reaction faces" during anime, so I would always find myself laughing at Sawako and the others when they used this effect.

The character designs were actually nice because they seemed appropriate for the seriousness of the show. The characters look slightly older than their age would dictate, but I enjoyed seeing such characters. Many shows have their characters look younger or high school aged, but throughout Kimi ni Todoke I never really viewed them as looking like high schoolers, but college students or something similar.

As for actual animation, there really isn't much to be seen. A lot of what goes on in Kimi ni Todoke is dialogue. As such, there are a lot of face shots and single character moments on-screen. In this context, this doesn't really bother me since the writing was always nicely done and captured my interest.

If there is anything wrong with the animation/art, it is the use of the "one-eyed" face shots. Similar to the "no-eyed" face shots, they were used in situations where the character was feeling sadness or some form of embarrassment. Again, here is a really relevant example (and probably the worst offender). I understand what they were trying to do with these types of shots, but when they happened (and thankfully not too often), it was slightly off-putting.

CHARACTERS

I liked the characters in Kimi ni Todoke. I don't think I loved any of them but each one is more or less nicely written.

Sawako, our main lead and narrator, starts off by herself and content with the world she has. But as her number of friends grows from zero, she begins to learn about the things she had so desperately wanted. From having normal "girl talk" to hanging out after school, she realizes that the time she has spent with everyone during the year is more precious to her than anything that came before it. Besides her budding relationships, she is extremely kind to others but prone to gullibility and misunderstandings. She has a difficult time dealing with the feelings she has, especially those for Kazehaya, but the other characters help her out in this regard.

Ayane and Chizu, Sawako's first friends, are also good characters. The former is a "pretty girl" who enjoys make-up while the latter is your typical "tomboy". Early on, you don't think that they will have such prominent roles in the story but they later on get a considerable amount of screen-time each. As I have said, there main purpose is to help Sawako to build the relationships that she has, both with them, with Kazehaya, and with everyone else. Ayane and Chizu both care deeply about Sawako and her well-being, and it was always joyful to see them going out of their way for their dear friend.

Lastly, I want to talk about two more characters, Kazehaya and Kurumi. Kazehaya is the main male lead and subsequently the love interest. Throughout most of the show, he is Sawako's idol; she wishes she could be just as popular and as easy-going as he is. But what she learns from him is that it is not about emulating others, but it is best to just be yourself. He exemplifies kindness, happiness, and relaxation. At the same time, he explains how he is actually slightly selfish and easily embarrassed. While he maintains these traits throughout the show, I wish they would have explored his character a bit more deeply, instead of focusing on Chizu during the middle of the second half.

The other character, Kurumi, gets a special nod because of how much they made me hate her. Not wanting to spoil anything, Kimi ni Todoke does a fantastic job of creating this perfect rival that you love to hate. Unfortunately, and uncharacteristically of the show, after her arc's climax and resolution, she was pretty much forgotten about. Perhaps the writers had nothing more to say with her in mind, but I felt that such a good character had gone to waste.

SOUND

Perhaps because the show is designated as shoujo, the OP is sung by a male artist. I thought this to be interesting because the majority of OPs and EDs are sung by women. I thought that was an appropriate choice for the show and fit it nicely. As for the OP itself, I thought it was fine but nothing amazing.

The same can be said for the ED. It isn't generic and I like it somewhat, but it is nothing stellar. It does, however, evoke feelings of longing and togetherness that I quite enjoyed.

The soundtrack itself uses many piano melodies and quiet tracks that set the mood for the scenes. The pieces that are played were always nice to hear and never seemed out of place within the show. Also of note was the shows lack of music in certain situations that accentuated those scenes. It made them stand out significantly due to your only sense being your eyes. Meaning, in those situations, you are truly fixated on what is happening on-screen.

Voice acting wise, I thought it was done nicely. Ryu's VA less so than the others (I thought he sounded slightly too old for his character) but Sawako's VA more so than the others (she does a fantastic job switching between serious/sweet and funny/rough).

ENJOYMENT

I say this all the time here on the subreddit (and will continue to say it!), but I am a big romantic at heart. So it should come as no surprise that I absolutely loved this show. The show, like Clannad, is surprisingly more funny than it lets on. Most of this comes from the "rounder" art styling that I mentioned previously. Sawako especially has very interesting reactions to the things that go on simply because she has never experienced them before.

The romance elements are very nicely done as well. What I liked the most is the gradual build-up. Sawako and Kazehaya don't just immediately fall in love because they happened to look at one another. Instead, it is the way in which they act around each other and what they do for one another that sets up the feelings that they share.

Kazehaya himself is a true gentleman, always saying the right lines at the right times (I am jealous of this power!). Sawako's smile makes you smile. Chizu's soft side makes you laugh while Ayane's sadistic nature makes you scared. Pin is a big goofball while Kurumi is a grade-A bitch. Simply put, I enjoyed all of the characters.

In the end, Kimi ni Todoke gives you a wonderful look into how important relationships can be. They are powerful tools that make you laugh due to happiness, make you angry due to misplaced trust, or even make you cry due to unrequited feelings. The show explores all of these possibilities and more, and because of this, I really liked this show.

SUMMARY

Story: Good, Sawako's journey to make friends and foes alike is pleasing to watch

Animation: Good, soft on the eye mixed with "rounder" animation is a fun combination

Characters: Good, most are explored greatly while others are sadly forgotten

Sound: Good, OP and ED are okay but the soundtrack makes up for them

Enjoyment: Great, smiles throughout with realistic romantic development

Final Score: 8/10

"Thank you for smiling, thank you for talking to me, thank you for being so kind. You taught me so many feelings that I didn’t know until now. Thank you. I love you… I love you… I love you…"

Love is a pretty powerful thing, isn't it? I've been in love before, and for those of you who haven't experienced love first-hand, I can honestly say that it changes you. There are a lot of romance animes out there, but very, VERY few of them have actually given me a good idea of what love is really like. We have shows like Date A Live, Love ... Hina, and Shuffle! All of those are classified as "Romance", but do any of them actually tell you what love really means? Now, we take a look at shows like Clannad and Kanon. Those are also classified as "Romance", and they give you a good idea of what love is like. Kimi ni Todoke is one of those animes, and in my opinion, it's one of the best romance animes of all time. So, without further ado, let's get this review started, shall we?

Enter Sawako, your residential ghost... well, sort of. Her classmates misunderstand her. They think she's the type of person that performs rituals and can speak to ghosts. Well, she's not. She's a sweet, shy, kind-hearted girl that everyone just needs to get to know in order to understand her better. Now, enter Kazehaya, one of the most popular boys in school, and also one of the nicest people you could meet in your life. He treats everyone fairly, and he's always looking to make friends. On the day of the high school entrance exams, the two meet. Ever since then, Sawako has been drawn to him, hoping to one day become his friend. Over time, the two gradually become closer, as well as the rest of her class and her. She starts making friends, and people start liking her a lot more. Of course, there are always challenges along the way, ranging from lies, rivals of love, and heartbreak. At first glance, it might not seem like the most original anime out there. Trust me when I say this, it honestly is, and I enjoyed all of it.

Kimi ni Todoke was brought to you by Studio I.G, and was directed by Hiro Kaburaki. You might recognize Studio I.G from other pieces of work such as Appleseed XIII, FLCL, and the ever so popular Ghost in a Shell series, and if you've seen Zenryoku Usagi, Hiro Kaburaki directed it. Anyways, the artwork was great. I liked all the character designs and the animations were good. That's one of the things I like about Shoujo animes, they give a realistic feel to the art style.

As most of you know, Kimi ni Todoke does not have an English Dub... yet. Due to it's popularity in the Animeverse, the hopes of a Dub may be answered someday, but for now, all we have, are these awesome Subs. Yes, awesome. All of the voice acting was done professionally, and it was filled with passion and an overall likableness. The first voice actress I immediately recognized was Mamiko Noto, who had voiced Kotomi in Clannad and Nodoka in the Negima! series. She played the role of Sawako perfectly. Fit her personality and everything. I can also say the same thing about the rest of the cast. Very well done.

Characters... characters, characters, characters... I liked a lot of them... but there was one character... that one character that killed my soul every time she showed her ugly face. So, let's start off with Sawako. She was perfect in a lot of ways. She was pretty, funny, and I'd honestly love to be her friend. Now, she's not exactly the brightest person in the world... she doesn't really know when she's being teased, which in my opinion could have been the only thing they could have changed, but, then again, it was one of the things I loved about her at the same time. Next is Kazehaya. He is, awesome. Super nice, friendly, and I love how red his face gets whenever he thinks about Sawako, it's super entertaining to watch. Then there's Ryuu. He was probably the funniest character in this show. I know that's saying a lot since he has the fewest lines in the show, despite being one of the main characters, but he is honestly hilarious. Might have actually been my favorite character in the series now that I think about it... Ayane and Chizuru were awesome friends, and I really loved how they were there for Sawako for most of the show. Lastly... Kurumi... ugh. Everyone hates her. No joke. She is the most annoying character in this entire series, and I really want to STRANGLE HER. I find myself yelling at my screen whenever she comes into the scene, and more than once someone has come in to see why I was yelling for no reason at 2:00 A.M. Overall, it was a really good selection of characters, despite the one who shows up in over half the episodes...

Loved it. I loved it a lot. I can't describe how much I loved this series. There were few flaws in this anime, and most of them were very small, except for the one flaw called Kurumi. That was a pretty big one, but either way, it was vital to the story to have her in it. But if you are waiting for me to tell you if I recommend this anime to you or not, you should have figured it out in the first paragraph of this review. Of course I recommend it. It's one of those animes that you need to watch, especially if you want to know the true meaning of love. Even if you don't want to know, watch it anyways. It was entertaining and overall beautiful.

First of all I would like to say that I am not anti Kimi ni Todoke however I find this show extremely overrated. It' one of the shows anime's that I just couldn't bare to watch anymore so I dropped it.


The story is not really original as everyone says it is. It is the classic tale of a unpopular, misunderstood girl gaining friends and becoming liked by everyone, experiencing love and yada yada yada. We can see a story like this in... well basically most of the school life shoujo's. Some might say that Kimi ni Todoke is not like those because it ... has a similarity to the real life more then those. Well if you are looking for realistic stuff then I guess anime is not really your type is it? Try watching a reality show.

The art is nothing special either. The characters are drawn without much details and it's really simple. I can't really praise the sound either because...well Sawako's voice is so damn annoying, really!

I can't say that there is poor character development because both in anime and manga the character development takes so long that you are bored out of your mind after some point.


Overall if you have nothing else to do just go ahead and watch it but it's nothing special unless it is your first time watching a shoujo anime.

The first season of Kimi ni Todoke is really something special. To put it briefly, it is a show that simultaneously both rejects and indulges in the structure of its genre. It defines many of the core aspects and tropes of its genre, while demonstrating why they are relevant and valid. At the same time it also casts out many tropes and clichés that distract from the main driving focus of the show. Even when the show is dead set on incorporating some tired plot contrivance, it manages to execute it with tact and finesse. It's show that knows what it is, what it's doing, ... and why it exists in the first place. Coupled with Production I.G.'s distinctive aesthetics, and direction, Kimi ni Todoke is a show with an air of absolute confidence. It has a goal, and achieves it flawlessly.

Kimi ni Todoke is a Shoujo in the purest sense of the word. To call it anything else not only sells the show itself short, but whatever genre it gets lumped in with as well. Its foundation is so concrete, and unabashedly in love with its forefathers, that it's almost not even a point of discussion. It does everything a typical Shoujo should do. Timid, loner, socially awkward female protagonist? Check. Said protagonist falling in love with the most popular boy in her school/class? Check. A token bitch girl who is also in love with the protagonists boyfriend? Check. Said bitch hatching an elaborate scheme to win over the protagonists boyfriend? Check. Side characters that exist for comic relief, with only one real, major, subplot? Check. Christmas episode? Check. Cultural Festival? Well no, but there is a sports festival that's used in much the same way. Small, multi-episode, arcs that are only tangentially related to one another? Check. I could go on all day about this stuff, but I think the point is fairly self-evident: Todoke has no real aspirations to dramatically alter the formulas or structures of its genre. Instead, more often than not (which we will get to later), it seeks to validate these tropes and give them the credit they deserve. The protagonist Sawako herself is a great example of this. She fits the shy, introverted, Shoujo protagonist mold to a "t" (or rather a "d"). While she does have unique, defining, traits that do make her stand out from the horde of other shy, and introverted, Shoujo protagonists, these differences do not define her as a character. Everything from her appearance (save perhaps the excessive hair length) to her personality is still firmly rooted in that proverbial mold. The only difference is that she is fleshed out just enough, such that she could pass off as a truly authentic human being. Her actions are always, and I repeat ALWAYS, within her character. The subtle embellishments made to her character just allow her to never have to break character. The amount of flexibility added from the changes to her mold, as well as the characters around her, make it so the work can remain as true to its archetypes as possible, while maintaining a distinct presence and letting the plot flow as naturally as possible. In short it made a necessary sacrifice in order to improve upon its foundation. This goes for almost every trope in the show. From the rest of the cast, to the events that take place, everything (for the most part) is only slightly altered from the blueprints of the genre. Beyond giving the work a slightly more distinct style, these alterations also draw attention to the tropes in the first place. I can't even begin to count the number of times I saw something happen, made a prediction, was either right or wrong (it usually didn't really matter), and then reflected on what I had just watched. The scene where Chizuru went on a walk with Ryuu's brother is a prime example of this. I was waiting for the moment where he would do something bad, or at least morally ambiguous, because, you know, that's just the thing that happens in Shoujos. It gives a reason for the protagonist in question to give up on their idol. However, throughout the scene, as well as the show, he doesn't really do anything but good for Chizuru, instead acknowledging Chizuru as somewhat of a spiritual sister. I actually had to take a minute, pause the episode, and digest exactly what had happened. After a few, quiet, minutes of thought I came to the conclusion that the scene actually still had the same desired effect, and outcome, as the run of the mill, predatorial meetings that are so commonplace in the genre. It both created, and resolved, drama, and gave the protagonist a legitimate call to action. Throughout the scene I was fully aware of the trope being used in the moment, as made obvious by my premonitions, however the work managed to somewhat trick me into thinking that something else had actually happened after the fact. It wasn't until I actually sat down (or rather stayed sitting) are really thought about what was taking place, that I saw the scene for what it was. It was exactly what I thought it was, just turned on its head. It was a clever little trick that really got me to think about that that scene was meant to do not only in Todoke itself, but in Shoujos in general. By repurposing the plot point to fit the story, it offered a valid case for its possible effectiveness when executed correctly. A trope that I had initially thought was played out, now seems to have just a little more life thanks to this show.

With that portion of the gushing out of the way, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the other side of the coin. Just because Todoke is so in love with the Shoujo archetype, does not mean that it doesn't see the general shortcomings of some of its most popular tropes. The show will disown a trope just as quickly as it embraces one. One of the most notable examples of this, as well as the first time I noticed it myself, was with the conflict that many Shoujos spend a loin's share of their runtime resolving: rumors. Yes Todoke does in fact have a typical "Shoijo Bitch", and yes one of the early conflicts in the show does revolve around lies she is spreading about the Sawako's friends in order to break up their friendship because it's getting in between her and her future boyfriend. The blame for starting these rumors obviously falls on Sawako, because obviously nobody has the mental capacity to remember who actually told them the story, and her friends catch wind of it. Through a few misunderstandings, and awkward conversations, the trust of Sawako's friends start to wane as the suspect that she might have possibly been involved in this. At this point most shows would devote the next three to five episodes playing this drama out before the protagonist was eventually exonerated. It's generally a tedious process that is what turns most anime fans I know away from Shoujo in the first place. However the way Todoke handles this conflict is remarkable to say the least. Instead of having the friends wildly jump to conclusions in order to force some drama out of the show, they instead simply have them do what any logical sane person would do from the start: they simply ask Sawako, who has been nothing but 100% honest with them up until that point, if she started the rumors. Sawako says no, and that's good enough for them, and the viewer. While the trope itself isn't dumb, they did include it in the show after all, its execution does bring up an obvious point. Most of the time this trope is simply misused, and just thrown in to cover up whatever deep seeded issue a show has. Most of the time it only adds superficial drama when used, and is constantly dragged out for far to long. Just as I reflected of the scene with Ryuu's brother, this moment made me give another long hard mental deconstruction of this trope. The small amount of payoff, solving the superficial problem of the group being split up, for the amount of time it takes makes a fairly obvious statement about the writers disposition about the trope. It's elegant, while still being obvious. While Todoke only does this kind of thing from time to time, it helps reinforce the structural aspects of its genre does embrace. It lets the viewer know that while Todoke does love being a Shoujo, it is still cautious in its decisions of what to accept whole-heartedly.

The only real, serious, issue I had with this show was pacing. If I am being completely honest with myself the show does sag a little bit around the Sports Festival arc. When I actually watched this show, I put it on the back-burner around episode 12 or so because I felt that the show was just kind of treading water. In this arc, the token bitch character is given her chance to grow and evolve, but despite that she stays fairly stagnant over the five or so episode arc. It's the same arc we've all seen a million times, and Todoke really didn't really do much different. Stop me if you heard this one before, but, one of the most popular girls in the school has really been masking her abusive personality all along. To make matters worse Todoke pops the true personality card early in the arc, and all that's really left to see is her plan fall apart. It wouldn't be so awkward if it wasn't so obvious she was going to fail. Much like the fools gold arc in the second season of Spice and Wolf, there is really no reason to think that the cannon pairing will be split apart for any reason. The buildup is bland, and the payoff is also lacking. They even go as far as to make a big deal out of establishing the bitch as a token rival, but then never do anything with her again (within the season, calm down). This coupled with the awkwardly placed recap episode make the second quarter of this show a little bit of a drag compared to the rest of the content.

I could mention the art by Production I.G. or the fantastic voice work, but I don't really think those points need to be discussed, so I'll just close out. The simple fact is that Kimi ni Todoke does far to many things extremely well to really level any just criticism at it. The sag I mentioned was really only a sag in comparison to the rest of the show, and by general Shoujo standards it was by no means bad. On the flipside the show redefined what it really means to be a Shoujo. It deconstructs the very structure of the genre, offering its own criticism, while offering an enjoyable ride on the surface. To top it all off it executes everything with such sincerity it's hard not to fall in love. Even though this show takes a bit of prior knowledge to truly appreciate, it is still one of the ideal entry points to the genre as well. It is truly a must watch in every aspect of the word, and has set a standard for the shows that came after it. If for some reason you haven't seen it, and are digging deep enough for this review, just watch it, it's probably not worse than anything else you're gonna watch this season.

KnT is a school-time romantic comedy. Romantic school comedy. Ah, screw it you already know the drill. There is only about a million school-related anime out there.

Hopelessly naive and socially awkward Sawako is rescued by Prince Charming Kazehaya and is given friends for the first time in her life. Agonisingly slow emotional development follows.

Story:
This story is pretty basic. What you see is what you get: namely, an uber-shy girl trying to outgrow her kindergarten personality, finding friends and love and not knowing either even if they smack her on the head. It is an underdog story and as such, it resonates with a ... lot of audiences. But it is a very slow paced story and by the time it's over you realise that not much has actually happened. Every event is milked for all its worth and then some. I felt rather hoodwinked (like my awesome vocabulary power, eh?) by the whole thing but I enjoyed it.

Characters:
Sawako is a girl who has never had any friends because everybody thought her creepy despite her being very beautiful and sweet (hey, don't laugh, this concept has worked very well for Hollywood where taking off your glasses makes you beautiful). Sawako is suspiciously similar (re: blatant copy) to Yamato Nadeshiko Shichi Henge’s Sunako (who is also friendless, creepy but beautiful and has the same haircut, like, the exact same haircut as well as a similar name). But anyway, this is shojo, a lot of recycling goes on in this genre. Sawako is at first shy and then becomes a little less shy. She is not very interesting because she doesn't do much, everything is pretty much happening to her instead of because of her efforts but she never really crosses the line to annoying moe. That is quite an achievement.
Kazehaya is Prince Charming and has every good quality under the sun. He's popular, kind, helpful, handsome, understanding and sweet. Yeah, your typical sixteen year old teenage male. I was not put out by this perfection thing because frankly I hate the “arrogant asshole” shojo archetype and I prefer watching types like Kazehaya immensely.
Yoshida & Yano are Sawako’s new friends. They are the sporty and the sexy respectively. These two feel very alive and are great fun to watch. I would say they and their relationships are much more interesting than the main couple.
Kurumi is the sneaky rival. She is beautiful and popular and is fixated on getting Kazehaya. At some point I was feeling rather sorry for her because here she is, thinking up scheme after scheme like a mastermind and yet Sawako is doing nothing and still wins points. Sad panda.
The rest of the cast are charming enough and make for nice comedy here and there.

Animation:
If you are familiar with shojo then you know that it has a pretty standard animation type. There are clear lines, rather blocky colours, a distinctive lack of backgrounds and once every five minutes the world stops and we enter the sparkly dimension. I am happy to say that KnT is very pretty, animation-wise. There is a watercolour-y feeling to it all, everything is bright and beautiful and full of sunlight. The studio put a lot of effort into this even if at first it seems simple. But you cannot escape the sparkly dimension.

Sound:
The OP and ED songs are very sweet and beautifully matched the animation. Basically, the soundtrack has no need to be anything elaborate. It follows the mood and does not annoy when it's there.

Overview:
I've actually kept this one though I don't expect to watch it again very soon. I think I'll pull it out when I've forgotten how slow it goes and when I need something to pamper me into thinking that everything works out in the end.

When l sat down to watch kimi ni todoke, I was looking forward to a good ol fashioned lovey-dovey story, but you know what l got? a turtle race. Now heres the bad part, not only was it really slow-paced, but it was like both turtles decided to go home before getting to the finish line of this perverbial event.

I suppose now is the time that I ought to justify my remarks so I dont sound like im trolling the show.

The story as you've probably read by now is about a girl named sawako as she wanders through her lonely life. As a side ... note, almost every anime out there has that lonely shy girl in it, but this is the first that i've seen where the show is about the shy girl, and that was quite refreshing.

In the show, she meets and falls in love with a cool-ass dude by the name of kazehaya and well it sorta seems mutual. At this point it becomes that turtle race to see who realizes it first, but you cant make a show around that right? Well, it seems they didnt need to, as in the show it also follows sawakos efforts to make friends, participate in events, and basiaclly just get a social life (which can be quite difficult, l speak from experience).

The art in this show was somehting that I wont soon forget. It wasnt super-amazing or anything like that, but it was different. I say this because the animators could make sawako look extremely beautiful, or so scarry that my bowels just released... At first l felt like the animators just didnt care, but eventually l realized that it was probalby the most appropriate animation possible in this show.

The characters are a little generic, as l said earlier the only thing thats really different in the character department is that the shy girl is the main character rather than the supporting role. Other than her though, you have the steriotypical nice guy, that guy who just doesnt give a shit, some girl who would wreck most guys in a brawl, a couple plotters, and the ever present crew of goofy-asses which are there to make the main characters all the more appealing.

l enjoyed the concept of the polar-opposites falling in love, and as it progressed I really got excited for them. The problem that I had is really just the less-than-stellar ending. The way I see it, if you make me sit around for a 25 episode show, you better give me a reason to come back for season two, and as it stands im not sure if they have.

The story is about a girl named Sawako. She's a new first-yeared girl who is very shy. She's bad at making friends: when she tries to talk to people, they always run away in fear. She doesn't know by herself, but when she tries to talk she always has an expression of a ghost. That's the reason she gets the nickname: Sadako (from the ring). Sawako's wish is to make friends, but that's very hard as you can see. She admires her classmate, Kazehaya-kun, who is populair and very nice to everyone, even with her.
I think Kimi Ni Todoke is such a great story. ... I really like the fact that the main character, Kuronuma Sawako, is a girl who isn't perfect in all ways like maincharacters in most romance animes do. I also love the fact that the drawing style in the anime is similiar to the drawing style in the manga.

Kimi ni Todoke is about friendship and love. It joins breathtaking art with original characters and plausible story development, and it really does not require of you to look the other way in order to believe the story.

When you start watching Kimi ni Todoke you will probably think that Sawako Kuronuma is just another passive high school girl in love with the beautiful and popular dark boy from her class. But she is not. Sure, she is shy and insecure, but she also takes charge when it's needed, and she never allows for misunderstandings to develop into something worse. She is naive at ... times, but she isn't stupid and ignorant.
One of the most refreshing traits of the series are definitely the male characters. They are not larger-than-life, 16-going-on-40 guys. They are as insecure and shy as the girls, and they get embarrassed, and have troubles expressing their feelings.
I loved the fact that love is not unnaturally forced onto the characters, it doesn't just spring up all of a sudden; it develops, and we actually see why someone is in love and how this happened.
The naivety of the story and character portrayal comes from youth and inexperience, and not from the story itself. I found this very refreshing and quite nostalgic because Kimi ni Todoke reminded me of how my friends and I have gone through some similar experiences and troubles.

All in all, Kimi ni Todoke is clever, beautiful, cute and different. I recommend watching it, and I am certain you will enjoy it at least as much as I did.